Duncan helps Spurs edge reeling Nets

Jan 24, 2009 - 6:04 AM
SAN ANTONIO (Ticker) -- Tim Duncan set the tone, Tony Parker led
the charge and Michael Finley delivered the dagger - a formula
that gave the San Antonio Spurs another victory.

Duncan collected 30 points and 15 rebounds as the Spurs edged
the reeling New Jersey Nets, 94-91, on Friday.

Tony Parker scored 15 of his 17 points in the second half and
Michael Finley added 11 - including a key 3-pointer that gave
San Antonio a 90-86 lead with 22 seconds left in the game,
securing its fourth straight victory.

"Defense was great," Duncan said. "I think we made too many
turnovers, mistakes down the stretch there to give them
opportunities to get back in the game but in the same respect,
our defense stepped up, made stops then we had a big play from
(Finley) hitting the three in the corner - great call by (coach
Gregg Popovich)."

"It's a disappointing loss but there are some positives," Nets
coach Lawrence Frank said. "You ask yourself, with six minutes
to go, did we have a chance? Yes. In the final stretch did we
get some good looks? Yes. Did they go in? No.

"But we were able to get stops and had numerous opportunities in
a one-point game. We just couldn't convert. There is no
consolation prize in losing, but there is a lot to build on."

The Spurs held a 28-16 margin in the third quarter to offset a
productive first half by the Nets, who led, 50-44, at the break.

"It was just that (Duncan) got hot in the first half; he was
great tonight," Parker said. "Then at halftime (Popovich) came
up to me and told me to get more aggressive. We need someone
else to score the basketball, so that's what I did in the third
quarter."

Duncan snapped an 81-81 tie by drilling a jump shot with 4:54
remaining, and gave San Antonio a lead it would not relinquish.

Despite bouncing back from a porous 1-for-11 effort in
Wednesday's 102-92 setback to the New Orleans Hornets, Harris
could not salvage the game for his struggling club.

"I just came out and had a mindset to attack," Harris said.
"I've seen this team a million times so I kind of know how they
play me. I just tried to get myself in the lane and get myself
going early. Obviously, Vince had it going pretty good all
night but I was just trying to read the defense the best I
could."

Keyon Dooling converted a 3-point play by hitting a layup and
the ensuing free throw before Harris nailed a long jumper to
pull the Nets within 87-86 with 2:13 left.

Carter kept New Jersey afloat by hitting a 3-pointer with 10
seconds left, cutting its deficit to 92-89 but Roger Mason made
two free throws to reclaim a five-point lead one second later.

Harris made a jumper with one second remaining and the Nets
gained possession off a turnover by Manu Ginobili with 0.2 on
the clock. Carter tried to release a catch-and-shoot 3-pointer
to tie the game, but the refs waved his attempt off.

"With two-tenths, you can't catch and shoot. You can only tip
in," Frank said. "That's all you can do is tip, so there was no
arguing that. The only hope there was maybe there should have
been three-tenths, but that wasn't the case."

The Spurs have won five of their last six despite scoring
100-plus points just once in that span.

"(Duncan) did a good job anchoring the team and carrying us for
48 minutes," Popovich said. "We had to work hard. New Jersey
played really well. They wanted to win badly and Timmy wasn't
going to let that happen."